YAOUNDÉ – Col. Didier Badjeck Cameroon Ministry of Defence Spokesman, said on Monday in Yaoundé,[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
that the army has freed 24 of the 80 hostages kidnapped during a cross-border attack by suspected Boko Haram Islamist fighters based in neighbouring Nigeria.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]
“The Cameroon army is able to free about 24 hostages taken yesterday by Boko Haram in the far north. [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
“They were freed as defence forces pursued the attackers who were heading back to Nigeria,” he added.
Badjeck said the kidnapping, which occurred in the north of Cameroon on Sunday around the village of Mabass, was one of the largest abductions on Cameroonian soil.
He said Boko Haram has killed thousands of people and kidnapped hundreds in its bid to carve out an [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
Islamic state in northern Nigeria.
The spokesman said in recent months, it has targeted Cameroon and Niger as it seeks to expand its zone of operations.
Badjeck said over the weekend, neighbouring Chad has deployed troops to help Cameroon in its efforts to tackle the insurgency in the area. (Reuters/NAN)